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Muttaqi: Afghanistan Should Be a Hub for Regional Cooperation

October 5, 2026 Current News Articles

TOLOnews

TV Network

5 October 2026

Muttaqi also said the Islamic Emirate is ready for sustained cooperation with regional countries on border security.

Amir Khan Muttaqi, Foreign Minister of the Islamic Emirate, told the eighth meeting of the Moscow Format on Afghanistan that the country seeks to become a key hub for economic cooperation and connectivity between Central and South Asia and other regions, rather than an arena for regional rivalries.

Muttaqi said Afghanistan’s foreign policy is based on “open doors, balanced engagement, mutual respect and shared interests,” adding that Kabul does not define its relations with one country as being against another.

He called on regional countries to increase investment in Afghanistan’s energy, mining, agriculture, industry, transit, logistics and infrastructure sectors. According to him, Afghanistan views regional projects such as TAPI, TAP, CASA-1000 and the Trans-Afghan Railway as important for economic growth and regional connectivity.

The foreign minister also addressed relations with Pakistan, saying security, political and economic issues between the two countries should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy. He said Pakistan is using military pressure against Afghanistan and violating the country’s sovereignty.

Muttaqi also said the Islamic Emirate is ready for sustained cooperation with regional countries on border security and efforts to combat drug trafficking and organized crime.

On Afghanistan’s economy, he said the country’s real gross domestic product grew by 1.5% during the 1404 fiscal year, while private-sector investment reached 200.9 billion afghanis.

The foreign minister described Russia’s recognition of the Islamic Emirate as an important development and expressed hope that other countries would follow a similar approach.

Muttaqi stressed that direct engagement with Afghanistan is a practical way to address issues and urged countries outside the region to base their policies toward Afghanistan on “ground realities, direct relations and mutual interests” rather than pressure and isolation.

HRW Urges US, Allies to Investigate Alleged War Crimes in Afghanistan and Compensate Victims

October 5, 2026 Current News Articles

By Fidel Rahmati

Khaama Press

October 5, 2026

U.S. Army soldiers with the 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 5th Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division and Afghan National Army soldiers conduct a combined patrol in the village of Shabila Kalan, Zabul, Afghanistan, on Nov. 30, 2009. DoD photo by Tech. Sgt. Efren Lopez, U.S. Air Force. (Released)

Human Rights Watch has called on the United States and other countries involved in the Afghanistan war to investigate alleged war crimes and serious abuses by their forces and provide compensation to victims and their families, saying Afghans still have no clear path to justice 25 years after the conflict began.

In a statement marking 25 years since the U.S.-led war began on October 7, 2001, HRW said successive governments have failed to provide adequate accountability or redress for Afghans subjected to abuses by foreign forces. The organization said many people detained by U.S. forces were held for months or years without being charged with crimes and that victims have largely been left without an effective mechanism to seek compensation.

Patricia Gossman, senior associate Asia director at HRW, said Afghans tortured in U.S. custody and families of people who were wrongfully killed still lack a clear avenue to file claims or obtain redress from the U.S. government. HRW documented abuses including beatings, humiliation, waterboarding, prolonged sleep deprivation and mock executions.

HRW also highlighted alleged abuses by other coalition forces. It said investigations into alleged summary killings and mistreatment by Australian and British forces have made limited progress. In Australia, the Brereton inquiry into alleged war crimes by special forces resulted in only two arrests, while trials had not begun and victims or their families were not known to have received compensation, according to HRW.

The organization cited several cases involving U.S. forces, including the 2012 conviction of Robert Bales for killing 16 Afghan civilians in Kandahar. HRW also pointed to the “Kill Team” case, in which several U.S. soldiers were convicted over the killing of Afghan civilians, while saying other serious allegations, including the deaths of civilians in Wardak province, did not result in prosecutions.

HRW said accountability should extend to all parties to the conflict, including Taliban forces, Afghan government forces and other armed groups. It accused Taliban fighters of attacks on civilians, aid workers, government officials and election-related targets, while also pointing to alleged torture, sexual violence and enforced disappearances involving powerful figures linked to the former Afghan government.

The organization said the International Criminal Court initially investigated alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by various parties in Afghanistan, including the Taliban, Islamic State, Afghan government forces, U.S. forces and the CIA. However, HRW said the ICC’s Afghanistan investigation has not publicly advanced against several of those actors.

A potential avenue for broader accountability emerged in October 2025, when the UN Human Rights Council established an independent investigative mechanism for Afghanistan. The body is mandated to collect, preserve and analyze evidence of international crimes and serious violations of international law by all sides and prepare files to facilitate future criminal proceedings.

HRW said governments should ensure that the new UN mechanism receives sufficient resources and begins its work without delay. It argued that the passage of time and government inaction should not prevent Afghan victims and survivors from obtaining justice, recognition and reparations.

UN: 64 Civilians Killed or Injured by Explosive Remnants in Eastern Afghanistan This Year

October 3, 2026 Current News Articles

By Fidel Rahmati

Khaama Press

October 3, 2026

The United Nations says 64 incidents involving explosive remnants of war and unexploded ordnance have been recorded in eastern Afghanistan since the beginning of 2026, resulting in 64 civilian casualties.

Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres, said the figures were recorded by the UN Department of Safety and Security. He warned that Afghanistan remains among the countries with the highest civilian casualty rates from unexploded ordnance worldwide.

Dujarric said explosive remnants of war continue to pose a serious threat to civilians, particularly children. The danger persists from abandoned and unexploded weapons left behind by years of conflict and continues to affect communities even after fighting in many parts of the country has declined.

The warning came after an abandoned mortar round reportedly exploded in Nangarhar while four children were handling it. The incident killed three children and injured another, according to UN humanitarian officials cited in the briefing.

The UN and its partners are continuing mine-risk education, clearance operations and assistance for communities and survivors affected by explosive hazards. However, Dujarric said severe funding shortages are limiting mine-action activities.

The wider humanitarian response in Afghanistan is also facing a major funding gap. The UN said its $1.7 billion Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for 2026 was only 30 percent funded at the time of the briefing, with $537 million received. The shortfall has already forced some aid partners to suspend assistance in certain areas.

The continued presence of explosive remnants highlights the long-term humanitarian consequences of Afghanistan’s decades of conflict. UN and international mine-action programmes have for years focused on clearing contaminated land, educating communities about explosive hazards and supporting survivors.

Russia Voices Concern Over Afghanistan-Pakistan Fighting as UN Confirms Civilian Deaths

October 3, 2026 Current News Articles

By Fidel Rahmati

Khaama Press

October 3, 2026

Russia has expressed deep concern over renewed military clashes between the Taliban authorities in Afghanistan and Pakistan, warning that the fighting is affecting civilians, particularly children.

The Russian Embassy in Kabul said Saturday that it was concerned about the continuation of the military confrontation between the two neighboring countries. The statement came after Pakistani airstrikes on Afghanistan’s Kunar and Helmand provinces earlier this week.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) confirmed that at least 10 civilians were killed in the strikes, most of them children, while nine others were injured. UNAMA called for de-escalation and dialogue and urged the parties to respect international law and prevent further civilian harm.

Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman for the Taliban authorities, said the Pakistani strikes hit residential areas and killed nine civilians, including women and children, while injuring 11 others. Reuters reported that the strikes hit three houses in Kunar and Helmand.

Pakistan, however, gave a different account of the operation. Its Ministry of Information said the strikes were based on “credible intelligence” and targeted militant hideouts, claiming that 22 militants were killed and large quantities of weapons and ammunition were destroyed. The claims by the two sides have not been independently reconciled.

The Russian statement did not condemn Pakistan’s airstrikes outright but called for an end to the military confrontation. Russia has maintained diplomatic relations with the Taliban authorities, which Moscow formally recognized in July 2025.

The European Union has also expressed concern over the civilian casualties from the strikes and called on Afghanistan and Pakistan to exercise restraint and resolve their differences through dialogue.

The latest strikes mark another escalation in already strained relations between Kabul and Islamabad. Pakistan accuses the Taliban authorities of allowing armed groups, particularly the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), to operate from Afghanistan territory and launch attacks into Pakistan. Kabul denies the allegation and says it does not allow Afghanistan territory to be used against other countries.

UNAMA said last week that it had documented more than 1,100 civilian deaths and injuries in Afghanistan from cross-border armed violence since the beginning of 2026, underscoring the growing humanitarian cost of the confrontation.

Kabul Responds to Ishaq Dar: Afghanistan Won’t Allow Its Soil to Be Used

October 3, 2026 Current News Articles

TOLOnews

3 September 2026

The ministry’s head of public relations told TOLOnews that Pakistan is seeking, through such claims, to shape international perceptions of Afghanistan.

Following Pakistan’s airstrikes on Kunar and Helmand, which according to the United Nations killed 10 civilians, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister said at a meeting in Islamabad that his country wants Afghanistan’s progress, prosperity and economic growth and considers itself a “well-wisher” of Afghanistan.

Reiterating Pakistan’s previous claims, he called on Afghanistan not to allow its territory to be used to carry out attacks against other countries, particularly Pakistan.

Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, said: “In return, what does Pakistan expect? What have we told them? That they should not allow their territory to be used for terrorism against any country. Particularly when it comes to Pakistan, we will not tolerate this.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate rejected the Pakistani foreign minister’s claims, saying Afghanistan will never allow its territory to be used against others.

The ministry’s head of public relations told TOLOnews that Pakistan is seeking, through such claims, to shape international perceptions of Afghanistan.

Zia Ahmad Takal, head of public relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said: “The policy of the Islamic Emirate is that no one can use Afghan territory against any country in the world, including Pakistan. Therefore, we reject these claims. This is an attempt to evade responsibility and to create a different perception in the minds of the international community.”

Meanwhile, the Coordination Council of Diplomatic and Consular Missions of Afghanistan’s former government condemned Pakistan’s recent airstrikes in Afghanistan in a statement, describing them as a violation of Afghanistan’s sovereignty and a clear breach of international humanitarian law.

The council called on the United Nations and the international community to take necessary measures to protect civilians, particularly women and children, and prevent further harm.

This comes as the United Nations and the European Union yesterday called for de-escalation and urged the two countries to resolve their differences through dialogue.

UN Rights Rapporteur Calls for Accountability Over Airstrikes in Kunar, Helmand

October 2, 2026 Current News Articles

By Fidel Rahmati

Khaama Press

October 2, 2026

Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, has called for accountability after airstrikes in Kunar and Helmand provinces killed civilians, most of them children.

Bennett said in a post on X on Thursday, October 1, that Pakistani military forces had carried out the airstrikes the previous night, causing civilian casualties. He questioned whether the incident resulted from “incompetence, negligence, or something worse.”

“Whatever the case, there is no justification for causing such irreparable harm to civilians,” Bennett said, adding that the attacks appeared to violate international human rights law and international humanitarian law.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) confirmed that at least 10 civilians were killed and nine others injured in the airstrikes in Kunar and Helmand, with most of those killed being children. The UN mission called for de-escalation, dialogue, respect for international law and measures to prevent further civilian harm.

The Taliban government had earlier reported that nine people, including women and children, were killed and 11 others injured. Its spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, said three houses were destroyed in the strikes.

Pakistan said its forces had targeted militant hideouts at two locations based on what it described as “credible intelligence,” claiming that 22 militants were killed and weapons and ammunition were destroyed. The conflicting casualty figures could not be independently verified.

Meeting on Afghanistan and Path to Peace Held in Islamabad

October 2, 2026 Current News Articles

By Hadia Ziaei

Tolo News

1 October 2026

Analysts described Moscow’s role in supporting and cooperating with Afghanistan at such meetings as important.

A meeting titled “Afghan Predicament and the Trajectory to Peace” was held in Islamabad with the participation of representatives from several neighboring countries.

Zamir Kabulov, Russia’s special representative for Afghanistan, attended the meeting online and said Russia wants to see a peaceful Afghanistan living in harmony with all its neighbors. He added that Russia is making efforts to support Afghans in achieving economic self-sufficiency.

Kabulov said: “We want to see Afghanistan as a peaceful country that lives in harmony with all its neighbors, and we are making every effort to support Afghans so that, first and foremost, they can achieve economic self-sufficiency.”

Bakhtiyor Ahmadzoda, deputy speaker of Tajikistan’s lower house of parliament and a member of its committee on agriculture, water and land resources, said: “Afghanistan is an integral part of the regional landscape, and its peace, stability and sustainable development are directly linked to the security and prosperity of neighboring countries and the region as a whole. Distinguished participants, we believe that lasting peace cannot be achieved through security measures alone.”

Analysts described Moscow’s role in supporting and cooperating with Afghanistan at such meetings as important.

Aziz Maarij, a former diplomat, said: “If cooperation has a practical dimension and countries work together, it can contribute to the development of the entire region. Countries in the region understand that they need one another in areas such as transit, good-neighborly relations, security and trade.”

Abdul Hasib Safi, an economic analyst, said: “Russia has certain resources and capabilities that Afghanistan does not have, and Afghanistan can benefit from them. Likewise, Afghanistan has certain resources that Russia needs. We can exchange these resources and promote economic growth.”

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has not recently commented on the meeting, but it has previously said that Kabul seeks good relations with all countries.

UN Calls for De-escalation Amid Afghanistan-Pakistan Tensions

October 2, 2026 Current News Articles

TOLOnews

TV Network

2 October 2026

Stéphane Dujarric has once again called for de-escalation, dialogue, and respect for international law to prevent further harm to civilians.

The spokesperson for the United Nations Secretary-General says that continued tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan continue to put civilians at risk.

Stéphane Dujarric has once again called for de-escalation, dialogue, and respect for international law to prevent further harm to civilians.

Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, said: “The United Nations has called for de-escalation, dialogue, and respect for international law to prevent further harm to civilians. It is clear that civilians there must be protected, just as they must be protected everywhere.”

The European Union has also expressed regret over the airstrikes in Kunar and Helmand and called on Pakistan and Afghanistan to exercise restraint and engage in dialogue to resolve tensions.

The European Union said in a statement: “We regret the loss of civilian lives following airstrikes in Kunar and Helmand. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan has confirmed that at least 10 civilians were killed, most of them children, and nine others were injured. We call on both sides to exercise restraint and engage in dialogue. Afghanistan’s de facto authorities must take effective measures against terrorist groups operating within or from Afghan territory.”

Meanwhile, Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, described Pakistan’s attacks as a clear violation of human rights and international law and stressed the need for accountability.

Zalmay Khalilzad, former US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, has also called for an end to the killing of innocent Afghans.

Khalilzad said: “Very sad news from Afghanistan. Pakistani airstrikes have once again killed civilians, including several children. As before, I strongly condemn these attacks. The killing of innocent Afghans must stop.”

Zamir Kabulov, the Russian President’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, says tensions between Kabul and Islamabad will be discussed at the eighth meeting of the Moscow Format on Afghanistan.

He told the newspaper Izvestia that Russia is ready to use the Moscow platform to bring the two sides closer and help them reach “reasonable compromises.”

Izvestia quoted Kabulov as saying: “Of course, this issue will be raised, and we will be glad to use the Moscow platform to bring the two sides involved closer to some reasonable compromises.”

This is the third time in less than two weeks that Pakistan’s military has carried out airstrikes in the middle of the night.

While Pakistan claimed yesterday that it had targeted two hideouts in Afghanistan, UNAMA confirmed in a statement that 10 civilians were killed and nine others were injured as a result of the airstrikes in Kunar and Helmand.

Kandahar governor denies hosting militant leaders’ talks on attacks in Pakistan

October 2, 2026 Current News Articles

By Abdul Qahar Afghan and Elena Becatoros | AP

October 2, 2026

KABUL, Afghanistan — The governor of Afghanistan’s southern Kandahar province on Friday denied a claim by Pakistan that he had hosted senior militant figures for talks on escalating attacks inside Pakistan.

The office of the governor, Mohammad Shirin Akhund, dismissed the claim made on Thursday by Pakistani army spokesman Lt. Gen. Ahmad Sharif as “propaganda.”

“Pakistani military circles are attempting, through these baseless claims, to justify the killing of civilians in Afghanistan and their own other crimes,” the governor’s office said.

Sharif alleged at a televised news conference on Thursday that members of several militant groups had met in Kandahar on Aug. 26.

He said the meeting was attended by members of the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army, or BLA, an ethnic separatist group fighting for an independent Balochistan; al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent, or AQIS, the global militant network’s South Asian affiliate; and the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, an independent Pakistani Islamist militant network rooted in North Waziristan.

Sharif did not explain how Pakistani authorities learned of the alleged gathering or present evidence to support the claim.

His remarks came hours after Pakistan said it had carried out airstrikes in two Afghan provinces . Afghan officials and the United Nations Mission in Afghanistan said the strikes in Helmand and Kunar provinces had killed at least 10 civilians, most of them children.

Richard Bennett, United Nations’ Special Rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, said the strikes appeared to violate international human rights and humanitarian law.

“Accountability is paramount after another airstrike that has killed civilians, most of them children,” Bennett posted on X. “Is this incompetence, negligence or worse? Whatever, there is no justification for doing such irreparable harm to civilians and it appears to violate international human rights and humanitarian law.”

The European Union also criticized Thursday’s airstrikes. “We deplore the civilian deaths following airstrikes in Kunar and Helmand,” the EU’s diplomatic service said in a statement. “We urge both sides to exercise restraint and engage in dialogue.”

Cross-border fighting between Afghanistan and Pakistan has continued for months despite international mediation efforts. Pakistan has carried out airstrikes across several Afghan provinces, including in the capital Kabul, while Afghan fighters have carried out cross-border raids into Pakistan.

Pakistan has long accused Afghanistan’s Taliban government of sheltering militants responsible for cross-border attacks, particularly the Pakistani Taliban, or TTP. The TTP is separate from but allied with the Afghan Taliban, who seized power in Afghanistan in 2021 and have ruled the country since.

Pakistan has faced a surge in militant violence, much of it blamed on the TTP and Baloch separatists. Balochistan has endured a long-running insurgency by groups that accuse Pakistan of discriminating against the province and exploiting its natural resources.

Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan kill 10 civilians, Kabul and UN say

October 2, 2026 Current News Articles

By ABDUL QAHAR AFGHAN and ELENA BECATOROS

Associated Press

October 1, 2026

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Pakistani airstrikes on two Afghan provinces overnight killed at least 10 civilians, Afghanistan and the United Nations said Thursday, with the cross-border conflict between the two countries showing no signs of abating.

Pakistan’s Ministry of Information said its strikes were against militant hideouts in two locations and that initial reports suggested 22 militants had been killed. It did not immediately comment on the reports of civilian casualties. Its claim of militants killed could not immediately be independently verified.

The United Nations mission in Afghanistan confirmed that at least 10 civilians, most of them children, were killed in the strikes on the southern province of Helmand and the eastern province of Kunar. It said nine people were injured in the airstrikes.

The strikes come amid repeated cross-border clashes between the two countries, while Pakistan has repeatedly carried out airstrikes inside Afghanistan since tensions between the two countries spiraled dramatically earlier this year. The two neighbors have longstanding disputes over militant activity along their border.

“Civilians continue to be affected by cross-border hostilities. UNAMA reiterates its call for de-escalation, dialogue, respect for international law and prevention of further civilian harm,” the U.N. mission said in a statement.

Last week, UNAMA said it had documented over 1,100 civilian deaths and injuries in Afghanistan from cross-border violence so far this year. Pakistan denies striking civilians and says it targets militants who carry out attacks inside Pakistan. Afghanistan denies harboring militants.

The spokesperson for Afghanistan’s Taliban government, Zabihullah Mujahid, said the airstrikes destroyed three civilian homes.

“We condemn this act and consider this an act of aggression and a crime that violates all universally accepted principles,” he said.

Mohammad Hashim, a 30-year-old resident of the village that was bombed in Kunar province, said the strike occurred at around 3 a.m.

“I heard a woman calling out, asking for the stones to be moved off her; she was trapped underneath,” he said. “We pulled her out, she was injured.” He said that digging through the rubble, he also found the bodies of two men and four children.

Another local resident, 32-year-old Mohammad Habib, said one of those killed was a shepherd who was not affiliated with any militant or government groups.

“He was a very poor and humble man. He would let his goats out in the morning without anyone even herding them, and they would go out in the morning and return home in the evening, and (Pakistan) martyred him,” he said.

Pakistan’s Ministry of Information said the airstrikes were “well planned and calibrated” against militant hideouts and camps, and had “been carried out in Afghanistan with precision and accuracy.” It added that large quantities of weapons and ammunition were located in the hideouts and were destroyed.

Pakistan accuses Afghanistan’s Taliban government of allowing militants, particularly the Pakistani Taliban — formally known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP — to operate from Afghan territory and carry out attacks inside Pakistan. The TTP is separate from but allied with the Afghan Taliban, who have ruled Afghanistan since seizing power in 2021. Kabul denies providing the group a safe haven and has rejected Pakistan’s accusations.

“The threat to Pakistan emanates from Afghanistan,” Pakistan’s ministry said. “Our action precisely targeted the terrorist hubs.”

“Maximum precautions were taken and it was ensured that no collateral damage occurs,” the statement said and added that its campaign “will continue at full pace to wipe out” the threat of militants from the country.

Associated Press writer Munir Ahmed in Islamabad contributed to this report.

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